Method and apparatus for controlling irrigation

• US 8,374,726 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2011
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIG Corporation
• Original Assignee: DIG Corporation
• Inventors: Holindrake, Erik, O'Brien, Mike, Levy, David, Beal, Craig E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Norton, Jennifer L
• Application Number:
  US13/291,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20120203383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 700/19, 700/83, 700/283, 700/284, 137/624.11, 239/69, 239/70, 239/225.1, 251/48, 307/66, 307/130, 361/187
• US Class Current: 700/284
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/16 Control of watering
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/162 Sequential operation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/22 Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/12 using renewable energies, e.g. solar water pumping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 Programmer or timer

Abstract

The invention comprises devices and methods for providing operational power to a solar-powered irrigation control system. In one aspect, a method includes producing electrical energy from light, storing the electrical energy in a capacitive module, and operating an irrigation controller using the stored electrical energy independent of another power source. In another aspect, a device includes a control system comprising a computer having a programmed irrigation schedule which operates at least one irrigation device, a photovoltaic power module, and a capacitive module connected to said photovoltaic power module to store the electrical energy provided by the photovoltaic power module, where the capacitive module provides power for the control system to operate the at least one irrigation device independent of another power source.

Claims

1. An irrigation system, comprising:

a mobile handset comprising a display and user controls configured to accept user commands, a processor in communication with the display and the user controls, and a communication module configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one irrigation controller, wherein the handset is configured to send operational information to the at least one irrigation controller to program the operation of the at least one irrigation controller, to request information from the at least one irrigation controller, and to receive and display information requested from the at least one irrigation controller;

at least one irrigation controller comprising;

a power system comprising a photovoltaic power module and a power storage device operable to store electrical energy generated by said photovoltaic power module;

a control system comprising;

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with the handset to receive from the handset information to program each irrigation controller and requests for information, and to send to said handset requested information;

a timing component to provide a real-time clock time signal;

a computer programmed to run an irrigation program to;

operate at least one irrigation flow device based at least in part on said received operational information and said time signal, said computer further operable to monitor a voltage level of said power storage device;

operate said transceiver in an activated state when said monitored voltage level exceeds a transceiver threshold voltage level, and operate said transceiver in a deactivated state when said monitored voltage level is less than the transceiver threshold voltage level;

perform an orderly shutdown of said control system when said monitored voltage level falls below a system shutdown threshold voltage, and perform a start-up procedure of said control system when the control system is in a shutdown state and the monitored voltage level exceeds a system start threshold voltage, the system start threshold voltage being greater than the system shutdown threshold voltage;

operate an irrigation program using operational information received from the handset, process information requests from the handset and provide requested information to the handset;

a boost module configured to receive electrical energy from the power system at a first voltage level and produce an output voltage at a second voltage level; and

an actuation module comprising at least one capacitor, said actuation module configured to receive electrical energy from said boost module at the second voltage level to charge said at least one capacitor, said actuation module further configured to provide an output pulse to operate at least one irrigation control device connected to the irrigation controller;

wherein each irrigation controller uses the electrical energy generated by said photovoltaic power module and stored in said power storage device to run the irrigation program, operate the respective one irrigation controller during programming of the irrigation controller, and operate said transceiver to receive operational information, process information requests, and send information to the handset, independent of another power source.

2. The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the operational information sent to each irrigation controller includes a format comprising a header and data.

3. The irrigation system of claim 2, wherein the header includes a customer ID associated with a plurality of the irrigation controllers, and the header includes a controller ID that is associated with one of the at least one irrigation controller.

4. The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein operational data includes a controller ID that is associated with one of the at least one irrigation controllers, and wherein the operational data includes requests for information from the respective irrigation controller that is associated with the controller ID.

5. The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein operational data includes a controller ID that is associated with one of the at least one irrigation controllers, and wherein the operational data includes information to program the respective irrigation controller that is associated with the controller ID.

6. The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein operational data includes a controller ID that is associated with one of the at least one irrigation controllers, and wherein the respective irrigation controller associated with the controller ID opens or closes a valve based on the received operational data.

7. The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the at least one irrigation controller sets days, start times, and durations of an irrigation program based on the received operational data.

8. The irrigation system of claim 1, wherein the at least one irrigation controller is configured to send to the handset irrigation controller program data, program status of one or more programs being run by the irrigation controller, valve status of each valve controlled by the irrigation controller, and error messages, based on the requests for information received by the irrigation controller.

9. A method of operating an irrigation system having an associated customer ID, the irrigation system including a mobile handset and at least two irrigation controllers, each irrigation controller irrigation controller having a different controller ID, the method comprising:

sending data wirelessly from the mobile handset;

receiving the data by at least one of the at least two irrigation controllers, each irrigation controller being configured to control one or more irrigation devices connected to the irrigation controller;

determining if a customer ID indicated in the received data matches a customer ID stored on the irrigation controller, further determining if a controller ID in the received data matches the controller ID of the respective irrigation controller receiving the data;

if the customer ID and the controller ID matches, programming the irrigation controller using the received operational signals and a real-time clock time signal;

wherein for each irrigation controller the method further comprises;

storing electrical energy from a photovoltaic module in a power storage device;

boosting electrical energy from the power storage device at a first voltage level to a second power level voltage to charge at least one capacitor in an actuation module;

monitoring a voltage level of the stored electrical energy;

operating said transceiver in an activated state when said monitored voltage level exceeds a transceiver threshold voltage level, and operating said transceiver in a deactivated state when said monitored voltage level is less than the transceiver threshold voltage level;

performing an orderly shutdown of the irrigation controller when said monitored voltage level falls below a system shutdown threshold voltage, and performing a start-up procedure of said irrigation controller when the irrigation controller is in a shutdown state and the monitored voltage level exceeds a system start threshold voltage, the system start threshold voltage being greater than the system shutdown threshold voltage;

running an irrigation program using the operational information received from the handset, wherein said running the irrigation program includes providing an output pulse from the actuation module to operate a solenoid actuated valve connected to the irrigation controller at a time determined from the irrigation program; and

processing information requests from the handset and providing information to the handset,

wherein the irrigation controller is configured to use the electrical energy generated by the photovoltaic module to run the irrigation program and operate the irrigation controller independent of another power source.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein performing an orderly shutdown comprises configuring the system for a graceful shutdown to a sleep state.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the operational information sent to the irrigation controller includes a format comprising a header and data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the header includes the customer ID and the controller ID.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the data includes requests for information from the irrigation controller.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the data includes information to be used to operate the irrigation device.

15. The method of claim 9, for each irrigation controller, further comprising opening or closing an irrigation valve that is controlled by the respective irrigation controller based on the received operational data.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein said running the irrigation program further comprises setting irrigation program parameters in the at least two irrigation controllers including setting days, start times, and durations of an irrigation program based on the received operational data.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein said providing information to the handset includes providing irrigation program data, valve status of each valve controlled by the irrigation controller, and error messages, based on the requests for information received by the irrigation controller.

18. An irrigation system, comprising:

mobile means for wirelessly sending data;

at least two means for controlling irrigation, each irrigation controlling means being configured to control one or more irrigation devices connected to the irrigation controlling means;

means for wirelessly receiving the data from the mobile means at each of the at least two irrigation controlling means;

means for determining if a customer ID indicated in the received data matches a customer ID stored on the irrigation controlling means, and for further determining if a controller ID in the received data matches the controller ID of the respective irrigation controlling means receiving the data;

means for programming the irrigation controlling means using the received operational signals and a real-time clock time signal if the customer ID and the controller ID matches, wherein each irrigation controlling means comprises means for generating electrical energy from light;

means for storing the generated electrical energy;

means for boosting the electrical energy received from the storing means from a first voltage level to a second power level voltage to charge at least one capacitor in an actuation module;

means for monitoring a voltage level of the stored electrical energy;

means for operating said receiving means in an activated state when said monitored voltage level exceeds a receiving means threshold voltage level, and operating said receiving means in a deactivated state when said monitored voltage level is less than the receiving means threshold voltage level;

performing an orderly shutdown of the irrigation controlling means when said monitored voltage level falls below a system shutdown threshold voltage, and performing a start-up procedure of said irrigation controlling means when the irrigation controller is in a shutdown state and the monitored voltage level exceeds a system start threshold voltage, the system start threshold voltage being greater than the system shutdown threshold voltage;

running an irrigation program using the operational information received from said mobile means, wherein running the irrigation program includes providing an output pulse from the actuation module to operate a solenoid actuated valve connected to the irrigation controller; and

means for processing information requests from the handset and providing information to the handset, wherein the irrigation controlling means is configured to use the electrical energy generated by the photovoltaic module to run the irrigation program and operate the irrigation controller independent of another power source.

19. The irrigation system of claim 18, wherein the irrigation controller is configured to set days, start times, and durations of an irrigation program based on the received operational data.